Maine Hiking Trails

Maine hiking trails are wild, challenging, and breathtakingly beautiful. From the boulders of Mahoosuc Notch to the waterfalls of Gulf Hagas, the rugged peaks of Bigelow to the ocean vistas of Cadillac Mountain, the state offers a treasure trove of memorable hikes. Then there’s Katahdin, the crown jewel of them all, standing tall as the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Wherever your adventures lead, you won’t find a bad day of hiking on any of the trails listed here.

When it comes to hiking Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley, Maine, the shortest path between two points—the parking lot and the summit—is a ski resort. The two-mile hike from Saddleback Maine trades the soothing cool of a forested trail for the steep and sunbaked ski trails.

Trying to find an “easy” way to hike Mt. Katahdin is like panning for gold in a swimming pool. The Abol Trail, by virtue of providing the most direct route to Katahdin’s Baxter Peak from a roadside trailhead, is often presumed the “best bet” by novice hikers. That’s a losing bet.

To hike the Berry Picker’s Trail, opened in 2016, up Saddleback mountain is to step back in time and enjoy one of Maine’s magnificent 4k mountains before the toll of thousands of footsteps has eroded the tender soil into a deep-grooved trail filled with rocks and roots.

* The AMC lists Old Speck before Crocker, and other sources state Old Speck is Maine's fourth tallest. When the listed elevation of Crocker is higher than Old Speck, we have a tough time showing them in reverse. If someone can explain why Old Speck is typically listed ahead of Crocker, please do.